RUNNING out of time! Sunday Run Down #10 & #11

After week 9 of training and the 17 miles of hills that almost killed me left me with IT band pain at my knee, I decided NO running was the best option, so I rested ALL WEEK with the exception of 45 minutes boxing on Tuesday, then decided I’d go for the 18 miles long run on the Saturday with the run group. What? Why? Why would I think that’s a good idea?

Long story short :  I lasted only 4 miles before I gave in and walked back.  I wasn’t in a lot of pain just a dull ache, but I was really slow and two of the girls in the group kept waiting for me.  My retirement from the run was 50% because I felt bad that they kept having to wait for me and 50% because I was scared to push it with the knee.  I was gutted,  but the walk back after 4 short miles was quite painful, excruciating going downhill, so I’m sure if I’d kept going it would have been detrimental to my training.  I think I cried on that walk back!!!  I was SO proud when the group posted a photo on Facebook on completion of the 18 miler but I was devastated that I wasn’t in the photo.

The rest of my day involved ice, stretching and foam rolling.  UGH!

I could not face another week of rest and now have total paranoia about my glutes being inactive… When I had my sports massage, Caroline said my glute wasn’t firing when it should be.  I also read online that weak glutes can cause IT band issues…  I sit all day at work and have been working late a lot of nights recently, I know my flat butt is an issue.  FYI – Desk jobs kill you slowly.

MONDAY

My knee felt ok, uncomfortable on stairs but apart from that it was fine.  I headed to the gym with my sister and I decided to work mostly on my butt and a little upper body.  My knee felt great doing all the exercises, I was tempted to jump on the treadmill but I thought I better not push my luck.

TUESDAY

I went to Fee’s bootcamp class with my work/gym buddy – she’s been slacking without me.  It was tough.  I have lost so much strength in my arms and core, my legs feel a lot stronger but everywhere else I felt weaker and I was still conscious of my dead butt and forcing deeper squats but I really enjoyed a tough workout, I’ve been missing them and my knee was great.

WEDNESDAY

I was worried my knee would hurt after Tuesdays bootcamp but it was fine, even on stairs!  My butt hurt though, I guess that means it was actually firing!!  I went back to Fee’s bootcamp.  We did squats, skipping, box jumps, lunges, all sorts of leg work, my knee was great then I tried to do sprints, literally about 40m and I didn’t actually sprint it was more a jog…. Hello knee pain.  This is so frustrating!

THURSDAY

My car broke so I had to walk to work from Kevin’s workshop, which is not even half a mile, my knee hurt the whole way. Argh! I’m not sure if the sprints in class aggravated it or if it was just the walking but I felt an ache all day!!  Also I sat all day at work then 2.5 hours at the hairdresser so my ass is dead again!  I don’t know whether to do bootcamp, rest or try a short run tomorrow and I don’t know whether to attempt the long run (12/13 miles) on Saturday again.  I don’t want to fall behind on my training with so little time left but I don’t want to completely screw it up either?! Maybe I should just take ibuprofen and push through it (I haven’t taken any because I wanted to see how it really felt!) Arrrgh I don’t know?!!!!

FRIDAY

The knee was not as sore as Thursday just a dull ache (letting me know it was still there!!)w orse going downstairs.  I did Yoga with Adrienne at home then went back and forward in my head on whether to join the group on Saturday for 13 miles! Am I being crazy? No running all week again and expecting to do a long run?!? Finally I decided I could start off with them and see how it goes and turn back again if need be.

I was in bed watching The Accountant (if you haven’t seen it check it out!) when one of the girls from the group posted in the running group Facebook page, saying she and 2 of the other girls were doing a 13 miler without the group in the morning, slower and flatter due to injury/niggles… sounded perfect to me so I replied saying I’d join them.

SATURDAY

I met with the girls at 9am.  We stood and had a chat whilst doing some warm up stretches, they all seemed to agree that the group had become too fast and Mandy who leads our group was concentrating more on the fast runners, who we think should be running with the faster group…our group is supposed to be for beginners!  Anyway without rambling too much the run was AMAZING, relaxed pace, no worries about time, no faster runners running away ahead, we ran together, chatting and the sun was shining! I felt a dull ache from about 4-5 miles but at 6.5 we stopped for to admire some new lambs (and take a photo) before heading back.  I felt a sharp pain a few times on the return run, mostly when stopping to cross roads, the ache got more intense towards the end of the run but we just slowed down the pace and it was all good.  13 miles DONE!

Can anyone give me tips on how to not look so much like a 12 year old boy when I’m running.. I’d be forever grateful!

I was SO happy to complete it and being such an enjoyable run it was such a confidence boost for me!  My knee hurt a little after but not like it had the last two weeks and by evening it was almost pain free (downstairs still hurt).

SUNDAY

Rest. My knee feels the best it has in weeks today, still niggles going downstairs.  The IT band issue is still there but feels SO much better!! I am looking forward to this week training again 🙂  Week 12 should include my second sports massage and hopefully, fingers crossed, please, please, please… my first 20 miler!!!!!!

 

Total Miles week 10 : 4

Total miles week 11 : 13

Total hours spend crying that I can’t run: LOTS!

WEEKS UNTIL MARATHON : 6 WEEKS!!!!

 

Thanks for reading☺️

Have a great day❤

Angela xo